How to know if you were affected by the AT&T data breach and what to do next (2024)

Gabe HauariUSA TODAY

The call and text message records of were exposed in a data breach, the company said Friday.

The company said in a filing with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission it learned in April that customer data was illegally downloaded from an AT&T workspace on a third-party cloud platform.

The company said it is working with law enforcement to arrest those involved in the incident, and that at least one person has been apprehended.

"We have an ongoing investigation into the AT&T breach and we're coordinating with our law enforcement partners," the Federal Communications Commission said on social media Friday morning.

Here's what else to know about the massive data breach, if you were affected and what to do if you are concerned about possible exposure of sensitive information.

AT&T data breach: Do users need to do anything?

Who was affected by the AT&T breach?

How to know if you were affected by the AT&T data breach and what to do next (3)

How to know if you were affected by the AT&T data breach and what to do next (4)

What to do if your personal information is compromised

If your personal information is ever compromised due to a data breach, here's what to do.

Damien Henderson, USA TODAY

In the SEC filing, AT&T said the threat actors exfiltrated files containing records of customer call and text interactions that occurred approximately between May 1 and October 31, 2022. The company said the compromised data also includes records from January 2, 2023 for a "very small number of customers."

In addition to cellular customers, customers of mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs) using AT&T's wireless network and AT&T landline customers who interacted with these cellular numbers were also affected.

AT&T said it will contact affected customers by text, email or U.S. mail. Customers can also check their accounts online to see if they were affected.

What type of data was exposed?

AT&T said in a news release Friday that "the data does not contain the content of calls or texts, personal information such as Social Security numbers, dates of birth, or other personally identifiable information."

"It also does not include some typical information you see in your usage details, such as the time stamp of calls or texts," the company added.

AT&T also said that while the compromised data also does not include customer names, there are often ways, using publicly available online tools, to find the name associated with a specific telephone number.

"At this time, we do not believe that the data is publicly available," the company said in the news release.

AT&T data breach:

What should AT&T customers do?

AT&T said that as a general rule, customers should remain cautious of any phone call or text request asking you for personal, account or credit card details. If you suspect:

  • Suspicious text activity: Do not reply. Forward the text to AT&T so they can assist you. Forwarded messages are free and won't count toward your text plan.
  • You are a target of fraud on your AT&T wireless number: Report it to AT&T's fraud team. If you suspect fraud on another account, call the customer service number on your bill for help.

AT&T also says customers should only open text messages from people you know and trust, and shouldn't reply to a text from an unknown sender with personal details.

What to do if your Social Security number has been exposed

While AT&T says Social Security numbers were not exposed in the data breach, customers who are concerned about being exposed can follow this guidance from the Federal Trade Commission:

  • Take advantage of free credit monitoring, if offered by the company responsible.
  • Get free credit reports and check them for accounts or charges you don't recognize.
  • Place a free credit freeze or fraud alert. A credit freeze makes it harder for someone to open an account in your name. However, it will require a few extra steps to briefly unlock the freeze if you apply for something that requires a credit check. A fraud alert requires businesses to verify your identity before they issues new credit in your name.
  • Continue to monitor your credit reports atannualcreditreport.com, where you can check them weekly for free.

What to do if your credit card number or bank account information is compromised

While AT&T said that "personally identifiable information" wasn't involved with the data breach, if you suspect your banking information has been leaked, the FTC suggests:

  • Contacting your bank to close your account or cancel your credit or debit card and get a new one.
  • Reviewing transactions regularly to check for fraudulent charges.
  • Updating any automatic payments with your new account information.

Contributing: Chad Murphy, USA TODAY Network

Gabe Hauari is a national trending news reporter at USA TODAY. You can follow him on X@GabeHauarior email him at Gdhauari@gannett.com.

How to know if you were affected by the AT&T data breach and what to do next (2024)

FAQs

How to know if you were affected by the AT&T data breach and what to do next? ›

If your account was included AT&T said they would contact you by text, email, or U.S. mail. You can also check if their data was compromised – including texts and phone numbers included in the download - by logging onto their accounts.

Should I be worried about the AT&T data breach? ›

AT&T said that as a general rule, customers should remain cautious of any phone call or text request asking you for personal, account or credit card details.

How do I know if I was involved in a data breach? ›

Check Your Data Breaches History

Bitdefender Digital Identity Protection only needs your email address and phone number to crawl data leaked from breaches to see if your information was exposed. You get a full list of organizations that revealed your details and what type of personal information was exposed.

Who was affected by the AT&T data breach? ›

Who was affected by the AT&T data breach? Almost everyone with AT&T mobile service -- nearly 110 million customers -- has been affected by this breach. AT&T said it would notify affected customers by mail, text or email.

Is AT&T sending out emails about data breach? ›

AT&T's Response: AT&T is actively reaching out to affected customers via email or letter to inform them about the data that was included in the leak and the measures being taken to address the situation.

How do I protect myself after an AT&T data breach? ›

  1. Never repeat passwords. Make sure you are using unique and complex passwords for each of your accounts. ...
  2. Be vigilant against phishing. ...
  3. Make sure your information is up to date. ...
  4. Monitor your credit.
Jul 18, 2024

Can I get money from the AT&T data breach? ›

Answer: Maybe. If you're a current or former AT&T customer whose Personally Identifiable Information (PII) was compromised in the breach, you may be entitled to a significant compensation payout in a class action lawsuit.

How do I know if I was affected by an AT&T breach? ›

Who was affected by AT&T data breach? AT&T says everyone who was affected by the data breach will be contacted by text, e-mail or U.S. mail. Those with active AT&T service and accounts can also check online whether they were impacted. Former customers who had service between May 2022 and Nov.

What is the first step you should take if you suspect a data breach? ›

You should take several urgent steps when a data breach is detected. Firstly, record the date and time of detection as well as all information known about the incident at that moment. At this time, the person who discovered the breach must immediately notify the appropriate parties within the organization.

What are the stages of suspected data breach? ›

Each data breach response needs to be tailored to the circ*mstances of the incident. In general, a data breach response should follow four key steps: contain, assess, notify and review.

What information was stolen from AT&T? ›

What was stolen and from who? The data breach involved data AT&T was storing on a third party cloud storage company that was left poorly secured. It includes records of calls and texts – including information about who users called and texted, when, and for how long.

How did AT&T get my social security number? ›

AT&T found over 70 million users' Social Security numbers on the 'dark web. ' Here's how to know if you're affected. The theft of sensitive information belonging to millions of AT&T's current and former customers has been recently discovered online, the telecommunications giant said on March 30, 2024.

How do I contact AT&T about data breach? ›

Reporting Suspicious Activity

Report suspicious calls to our Fraud Department here. Forward a suspicious email to abuse@att.net.

Should I be worried about an AT&T data breach? ›

This breach is the latest news of compromised data and is a reminder to consumers to be proactive about interactions on your phone and online, said Lee. Be wary of messages or calls that come from unknown numbers and cybercriminals can fake or spoof real numbers to trick consumers, too, he said.

How do I know if I was affected by a data breach? ›

One of the best ways to check if you have been hacked is to enter your email into a number of data breach websites that track breaches and verify them as genuine. The websites will tell you if your email and associated passwords were part of any known data breaches.

Was my ATT account hacked? ›

If you are wondering if you were impacted, AT&T said it will provide notice to current and former customers, so you should keep an eye out for that. If you're a customer with questions, you can call AT&T wireless customer service at 1-800-331-0500.

How do I know if I am affected by the AT&T data breach? ›

If your account was included AT&T said they would contact you by text, email, or U.S. mail. You can also check if their data was compromised – including texts and phone numbers included in the download - by logging onto their accounts.

Why am I getting a data warning from AT&T? ›

We'll send a text alert when you use 37.5GB of data. This is 75% of your 50GB data threshold. You'll get an alert when you use 75% and 100% of your data allowance.

Should I be worried about a data breach? ›

A data breach affects you in several ways. It increases your chances of becoming a victim of identity or financial theft. Hackers can use a leaked password to access other accounts that have the same password. It can take some effort to recover from getting hacked online.

How serious is a breach of data protection? ›

“A personal data breach may, if not addressed in an appropriate and timely manner, result in physical, material or non-material damage to natural persons such as loss of control over their personal data or limitation of their rights, discrimination, identity theft or fraud, financial loss, unauthorised reversal of ...

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